Should i sell my modern 26er and go 27.5 ?

For now it may be...they'll be back though.

I'm going to use ano bits to back my argument up; in the 90's it was all the rage then people moved to all black or silver and now colour is back (although to a lesser extent than when I first started riding).

Talking of the US, what I find amazing is that people are going mental for 650b over there but don't seem to have ridden them! They seem much more into the next big thing than we are. Then again we like hardtails still.
 
The Internet makes 'next big thing and fads' so much easier than the quite isolated fads and info we had back in the day.
You only really knew what a mate had read or you local bike shop wanted to tell you. They never tended to keep up as they didn't need to.
Its why what people like on here varies so much and why a lot couldn't give a toss on other parts but love other things and ride bikes in certain ways.

I see the wheel size similar to how kids grow up and move through 16/20/24/26 sizes. If your tall get 650/29 sizes, if you're short don't bother.
If yo are 10yrs old, riding a 26" is like riding a 29".. So if you're short it would be similar from 26 to 29.
If you're 6foot odd then a 29 is proportionally better for you.

Choice Is good once the fad-ness dies away.
Odd how they are all using the old Hybrid standards we had and scorned BitD, at least in my little local isolated group.
We didn't have a phone beep to tell us what was new, luckily.
 
What noone's mentioned yet in this debate is that 26" rims and tyres have been made since the 70's/80's. Realistically, availability of parts is going to last anyone on this forum well into retirement!
 
Just measured my wheel with a 2.4 Rubber Queen at 27 inches so a 27.5 bike is going to feel pretty similar to what i have. I have had loads of bikes over the years and this one is the best yet, the ride is whats most important really but I do like to try and remain as future compatible as possible.

I was really interested to see if people thought the 26er second hand prices would drop massively soon dew to what seems to be most of the manufacturers going 650b. I know you can still get non tapered steerer, non dropper post compatible non iscg05 tab frames with rear QR drop outs god forbid lol but I wouldn't by a new one for a modern bike build as you would be buying a load of old kit to go on it (thats what our retro stuff for :) As my bikes in quite new condition I figured it could be best to sell the frame now and switch to 650b to maximize my spend.

I wasnt keen on dropper posts to begin with due to cost and weight but i can honestly say they make my riding more fun now, as do the stiffer forks and and great sus on my frame, it all compensates against my crap skill level allowing me to go faster and have more fun :) I still have fun riding a 1990s rigid still bike around the woods at sunrise but its a different fun than looning off massive jumps etc.

Obviouly its daft to think about this stuff too much as bikes are bikes but its fun all the same
 
THEFALLGUY":2bh4kvgd said:
I know you can still get non tapered steerer, non dropper post compatible non iscg05 tab frames with rear QR drop outs god forbid lol but I wouldn't by a new one for a modern bike build as you would be buying a load of old kit to go on it (thats what our retro stuff for :) As my bikes in quite new condition I figured it could be best to sell the frame now and switch to 650b to maximize my spend.

Ermm... I disagree totally - for exactly the same reasons. This past couple of years I have bought two Non-tapered, non ISCG frames with QR dropouts, and yeah, I then bought a load of 'old' (2000-2013) kit to go on them.
SID Race & magura Durins for less than 150 quid each, carbon cranks for 40 quid, 1.8 kg wheelsets for 80 quid - you can build an entire sub 25Lb bike with 100-120mm front suspension and full SRAM X-9/X-0 for around a grand..

Compare that to any new bike of any wheel size and suddenly 'old' 26" framses described above make HUGE sense, and in terms of maximising your spend, there's only one winner and it's not a brand new 650/29" bike!

Anyway, if your 26" frame is that new - won't it fit 650b disc wheels anyway...?
 
Bmx wheels stayed at 20" for a reason, road wheels stayed at 700c, mtb wheels will go back to 26", which was the reason they were 26" in the first place.....
 
Most people buy MTBs to tootle around on very flat or smooth paths by the amount of it I see on Youtube, etc.

This is possibly why so many are convinced of the benefits of larger wheels, because they don't actually use them on challenging terrain where being active and the flickability of a bike are more important.
 
FluffyChicken":240clyj1 said:
Why. What's going obsolete ?


Wheels.


And not just on bikes either... cars, trains, even planes are going to be wheel-less in the very near future.

The wheel has had its day, it's time to make way for a more innovative invention... the hover-bike :D

p01bcrls.jpg


And yes,the wheels will be obsolete by the timethe producion version comes out...
 
It's a fad, a sign that the industry is maturing and running out of big ideas to move things along. Suspension is really good these days with most of the big problems solved, so there is less incremental improvement.

I would not use wheel size as any consideration in a bike purchase. What I do care about is whether it is fun and efficient to ride. If you can't tell the difference between them riding in the dark, then its simply 'emperor's new clothes.'
 
THEFALLGUY":1qxipdv3 said:
Just measured my wheel with a 2.4 Rubber Queen at 27 inches so a 27.5 bike is going to feel pretty similar to what i have.

You do realise that 650b wheels don't actually measure up at 27.5"? Most are around 27", the term 27.5 is dreamt up by marketing me to amke you think they fit in between 26 and 29 when in fact they are only marginally bigger than 26", and a large volume tyre on a 26" more than makes up the difference.
 
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